Restructuring
by Sinspawn Ammes
Summary: When Konoha runs out of men, Tsunade is forced to take some drastic actions. Actually NOT a comedy, rated for adult themes in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

The premise of this story is enough to make an amazing comedy, but I don't feel like making another comic fic; I've written so many (not on this account), and I'm a bit tired of it. Anyway, anything to say before I start…I'm more or less writing this on a whim, so it may jump from one character to another not no reason: that's just me being weird.

Also, I don't know what the currency in the Naruto universe is. Forgive me for using dollars.

**_Disclaimer:_** I do not own Naruto. The creator does, but I forgot his name.

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**Restructuring**

Chapter One 

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_The flames spiraled upwards, rose in a torrent, engulfed all around them. One couldn't see anything, but one didn't have to; the wanton destruction wrought by the fires told all the story. Buildings crackled, surprised by the flames, and collapsed as their support beams burned. Windows blew out under the extreme heat, while street poles collapse upon shops, walls, and carriages. If one did decide to see, to observe, to discover, they would find a plethora of black shadows, swarming the night sky, annihilating it with the bright red light of fire._

_ Amid the deflagration, there was another battle being waged. The aforementioned shadowy figures struck each other, adding to the calamity and pandemonium of the burning village. Every so often a shadowy figure would stop fluttering in the brightened night sky, and would lay motionless on the charred ground; this happened frequently, but the figures battled, flickered in the wind like the spark of a convex current, but ceased to die down._

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"You are not serious."

"Hokage-sama, this is completely accurate. We tallied every person in this village, even double-checked! The numbers don't lie!" Shizune whispered, her voice slightly cracking. An unknowing onlooker would have thought zombies were rising from the grave; her face was pale white, the only hint of life coming from her rapidly beating heart. Some calamity was stirring the Konoha village, the likes that the humble township had never seen.

"No, you are not serious. This is an early April Fool's joke. There's only two weeks left, you know. But I didn't think you had such a twisted sense of humor." Tsunade babbled. Her own face was pale, less so than her associate, but pale nonetheless. However, she was shaken more by astonishment then by fear and anxiety. She ran a hand through her blond hair, blowing air out of her mouth as if relieving a tornado of stress wreaking havoc on her insides. Rising from her chair in the Hokage's office, Tsunade paced, to and fro, for what seemed like hours. _This isn't possible. Not anywhere, especially not here…_

"What will we do?" Shizune blurted out in apprehension. She ran her eyes over the sheet of paper in front of her again; it was more or less a census, crude and contrite in make, almost as if its sole purpose was to give evidence of a horrible failure, a careless and atrophic blunder. A plethora of random facts and figures were on it; households, residents per households, family names, income, children of Shinobi age. But one figure was circled in deep red, a crimson so deep it forbade pain and suffering. Maybe they were just overdramatizing; maybe the issue wasn't _that_ much of a problem, Shizune thought. But she kept looking at the circled figure, wondering how things had come to be this way, how her village of birth had fallen into such a hole.

"What do you think? We'll make more!"

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Naruto yawned, stretching soundly and moving his neck to shake out any abnormalities in it, however rare. It was a warm summer day, the sun shining upon Konoha, forcing its way through the abundant clouds deflecting its rays. These were the kind of days the blond Shinobi liked best; calm, slightly windy, well-lit. Team Seven would be in the usual spot at the bridge, no matter how small it was now, and a mission would be issued.

Team Seven had been cut by 25 for a few months now. Sasuke had decided that it was time to confront his brother, but had no knowledge of his whereabouts. The entire village had called it folly, Sakura most of all, but he had a score to settle. He was an avenger after all.

Sakura somehow restrained herself from crying, and the Uchiha had apparently appreciated it. He embraced her and promised Team Seven would be back at the bridge again, one day. That day never came, and was likely never to come. Rumors had been spreading that the body of an adolescent boy had been found, unclothed and unidentified, charred, as if ravaged by a histrionic fire. The hair was raven black, as was that of most Konohans, but a tattered Uchiha symbol hinted at the corpse's identity.

Naruto never gave the rumors much mind. Sasuke was constantly away, whether he had a mission or not, and the entire village was used to his absence. He was still undoubtedbly a part of Konoha, just a peripheral part. The name Sasuke was becoming a lingering memory, like that of an elusive dream, just like the name of his clan. The bell rung.

"Who the…" Naruto muttered, snapped out of his musings by knocks on the door and the familiar chimes of his doorbell. He strode towards the door, anxious to have his breakfast, but the face of the other side wasn't as cheery.

"Here." Shizune whispered, handing him a slip of paper. She turned to leave, but he stopped her quickly.

"What's going on? What's the rush?" Naruto inquired, his blue eyes sparkling with concern. Shizune was usually cheerful to a certain degree these days; it was unusual to see her this troubled about something. She stared at him, unsure of how to answer, and sighed deeply.

"Just read the announcement, Naruto-kun. A crowd has gathered outside Tsunade-sama's lodgings, waiting for her speech. Head over there as soon as you're done." She said. Placing a hand on his shoulder hastily, she turned and left, moving to the next set of apartments.

"Well, whatever this is, it's important." Naruto thought to himself. Sitting down on a nearby sofa, he removed the fastener adorned with the Hokage's seal and began:

_ Dear Citizens of Konoha,_

_ We have reached a mortifying time in our history. Never before had such a situation been present, and never would it have been considered severe. The circumstances are extreme, however, so I urge you to be steadfast._

_ The latest figures reveal that Konoha is officially 27 men. Yes, you read that correctly. One out of every four people walking down _your_ street is male. The recent conflicts, surprise attacks, floods, and obstacles of late have all have been braved by the city, but at the expense of most men of reproductive age. Regardless of how trivial the matter may appear to you, it is severe; the lack of men has meant a 43 drop in childbirth in the last year. All the men are gone, but because of that not enough are replacing them. If this trend continues, our glorious village will soon collapse due to a genuine lack of people, a situation never before seen in our long and plentiful history._

_ A course of action has immediately been considered by the elders and myself, and will be proposed to you, the people, in front of the Hokage statues. Be present at eleven o'clock sharp to hear the news for yourself._

Naruto dropped the letter.

"What the hell…?" He was going to laugh as soon as he read the first sentence of the second paragraph, but the rest of the message silenced him. The situation was worse than he thought. Naruto had always noticed that there was a distinctly larger amount of women than men. Most shinobi were male, that was granted, but the vast majority of workers, farmers, shopkeepers, attendants, and the Konoha population in general was women. But a gap of 46?

"You have to be kidding me…" He groaned. Pulling on his orange pants and their matching outfit, Naruto grabbed his helmet protector and raced towards the statues.

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There was no order.

People lingered, moved about, argued, screamed, bickered, cried, did everything but laugh and kiss. The five mighty Hokage statues hovered over this brazen crowd, as if scolding them for indecent conduct, but they paid no heed. The latest news wouldn't let them.

Neji was more or less lurking around the crowd. He really didn't care less about what this great announcement was (having not read the letter), and was here partly because Hyugaa Hiashi had sent him and it was a nice day. The clouds hung overcast, filtering the harsh summer sun and cooling the ground. The weather sure was nice, but the village itself was a dismal sight. If one was on a cloud, they would see the once circular green circle known as Konoha village reduced to an obtuse crescent (or perhaps a Pac-man shape) of greenery, with a hefty section left charred and black.

The war with the Lightning Village was over, much to the chagrin of the Lightning, but Konoha had been reduced to shambles. After the Lightning shinobi were routed, the Raikage more or less pleaded for a treaty, so his village wouldn't be annihilated by a counterattack; Tsunade agreed only to avoid more loss of life. However, a good chunk of the villages' residential district was burned to the ground until the fire was contained, and many villagers were either dead or injured. Konoha's population had declined already before the war had started; this was simply another step down the ladder.

With this knowledge in mind, Neji expected what to hear: another announcement about working hard to rebuild the village, or a plea to the villagers to remain alert for Lightning spies. He was really just here to report to Hiashi; the old man had become so xenophobic in regards to non-Hyugaas that he avoided them altogether. So, partly to demonstrate his spite for Neji and to avoid mingling with regular Konohan, Hiashi frequently sent his nephew on such "reconnaissance" missions.

Neji felt a hand on his shoulder. He knew it was Rock Lee thanks to his 360 degree vision, so he didn't move. Lee tapped his shoulder a few more times, trying to get his teammate's attention, but Neji remained motionless.

"What?" The Hyugaa growled, turning around. He was already in a bad mood, having been sent on another "recon" mission for no apparent reason. Lee frowned deeply, but his massive eyebrows only made him seem comical. More serious, however, was the sheet of paper he gripped in his hand. Neji had spotted it, and was curious as to why Lee was holding it so tightly; as if reading the Hyugaa's mind, Lee thrust it forward, and cringed.

It was Tsunade's letter. Neji read it quickly, then frowned deeply as well. Never in his life had he heard of such a situation, and never did he expect to hear of it. However, it seemed true; scanning the large crowd that was gathered at the statues, he could only spot about 100 or so males just around him; by comparison, there were easily 400 or so women around the same place; this ratio must have been consistent throughout the field.

Tenten arrived quickly, her disheveled hair hinting that she had rushed there as soon as she heard the news; as if on cue, Naruto walked down the street in confusion; he had not expected so many people to be gathered. Some activity could be seen through the Hokage's window, and it seems they were getting ready to say the speech. More shinobi and villagers arrived while the Hokage prepared herself.

"Citizens of Konoha," the Hokage bellowed, drawing attention to herself and silencing the alarmed crowd, "I have an important announcement to make!"

Everyone murmured anxiously. Kiba and Akamaru rounded a corner, both excited and surprised, and saw the mass of people staring at Tsunade with undivided attention. There were a few moments of silence as the Hokage thought of how to arrange her words.

Tsunade stared down at the crowd. It was a typical summer day in Konoha, the sun shining brightly, listless white clouds overhead; yet, the brutally maimed section of the village was clearly visible from her vantage point, and her own troubled mind added to the gravity of the scene. She coughed a few times, and gathered her resolve.

"All of you should have received a letter informing you of the purpose of this assembly. Whether you have or have not, what I am about to tell you will likely affect the fate of the village for the rest of its existence. In fact, what I am about to say, and _your_ actions in response to it, will determine whether there is a village to be affected. Listen carefully." She said gravely. The crowd continued to look onward in complete silence, the kind that is more disgruntling than pandemonium because there isn't even the sound of breathing. Tsunade sighed, and began.

"Konoha, through the numerous attacks and wars it has found itself in, has grown weak and battered; it is the inevitable course of any object, person, or being, that is subjected to constant battery and abuse. However, the effects of these attacks have taken a heavy toll on our village. At the moment, Konoha has its lowest population since the first Hokage founded this village. There is one man for every four women, and the number of children being born every day is far below the number who die every day. If no action is taken, Konoha will cease to exist in two generations." She said firmly. There were a few murmurs, but otherwise, complete silence dominated the crowd. Even the characteristically loud and obnoxious villagers (or, for short, Naruto), sense the chill of their leader's words, and waited just as anxiously for her to continue.

"To curtail this inevitable crisis, the following policies will be implemented. Before I state them, however, I will like to say that we must all be strong and resilient, and try to adhere to the course of action I will describe. This is for the well-being of Konoha, and only for that purpose; some above you may refuse to participate, but know that you will only be harming your village and countrymen by doing so," Tsunade said, her voice crescendoing into a loud and forceful boom. The emotion in her voice was apparent, and it probably shook the crowd more than her ominous words. A few feet shifted, but there was nothing else.

"From now on, the legal age for marriage will be reduced to fifteen for both sexes. All men are encouraged to marry, and all women are encouraged to bear children with their husbands. A yearly stipend of two thousand dollars will be given to couples for each child they bear until these policies are rescinded. Contraceptives will be limited as to increase the number of childbirths. Furthermore, a larger number of social events will be organized to encourage our younger villagers to court and marry, and any and all villagers under the age of twenty-one are encouraged to attend," Tsunade declared, taking a small sip of water. The surprise in the crowd was apparent; they never expected something of this sort to occur.

"Divorces will not be granted without special review by a pre-ordained court, in order to promote stable environments for our future villagers and shinobi. I will like to add," she said, her voice changing from that of an objective gubernatorial drone to a cautionary remand, "this means that irresponsible marriages will have serious repercussions. Though we are in a time of crisis, it is not an excuse to relinquish neither our ethics nor our morals. It is not the time for frivolity and irreverence, and neither is it the time for harlotry. Remember, what you do for the next few years will decide this village's future!"

No one spoke.

"There is one more thing. I encourage all of you to assist in repairing the damaged parts of the village, and I plead that you be vigilant in the coming months. We never know whether another threat may assail us. I thank you deeply for coming."

No one would shut up.

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R&R. Written on a whim, but I suppose it could go somewhere.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2. Sorry about the delay, but I have plenty of college applications to write.

**_Disclaimer:_** I do not own Naruto. The creator does, but I forgot his name.

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Restructuring Chapter Two 

The speech concluded, but the panic did not.

Naruto stared, aghast, around him. People were yelling over each other, no longer bothering to whisper in hushed tones, and one could feel the sheer emotion gripping the crowd of Konohans gathered under the bright sun and lazy clouds. He could hear footsteps behind him, and found Shikamaru pacing lazily about.

"Did you hear the speech?" Naruto muttered in apparent agitation. He wasn't sure why he was so distraught; perhaps it was the atmosphere of the crowd that affected him adversely, or perhaps some subconscious implication that unsettled his soul. Shikamaru sighed and put his hands inside his pockets.

"Yea." He answered, putting on that slightly annoyed look that adorned his face so often. The crowd had started dispersing, though only slightly, but it was still incomprehensibly loud. Naruto glanced around, and spotted Ino and Sakura having a heated argument over something.

"How can you be so calm about this? You heard what Tsunade said!" Naruto whispered, as if his statement was an admission of some unwritten crime. Shikamaru sneered at Naruto's obviously distraught state, and pulled his hands out of his pockets to rummage them through his hair.

"My mom would have made me have kids anyway. This isn't a big deal, I don't know why you're so worried…" Shikamaru answered, glancing at the slightly overcast sky. A passing cloud revealed the sun's warm yellow frame, and the light it emitted contrasted heavily with the shadow cast by the crowd's torments. Naruto glanced around again, and his gaze fell on Sakura and Ino's conversation; at that point, it was clear what was agitating him…

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Neji, pragmatist that he was, silently contemplated what Tsunade's speech would mean for both him and his family. The Hyuugas had a stringent policy of marrying inside the clan only, so it was unlikely that any of this would affect him much; yet, it still intrigued him how an entire village could adhere to such rules. Arranged marriages had, for the most part, disappeared several decades ago. However, because males of matrimonial age were so scarce, it was inevitable that children would be paired from birth. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lee looking around him with a pensive expression; then, without notice, a wide grin appeared on his face.

"Don't you see what this means? We'll be swimming in women! They'll be chasing us instead of the other way around! We might even…get laid!" Lee said excitedly. Neji looked at him sarcastically, and put on a mocking smile.

"I'm sure no one will be chasing you in this lifetime, and I assure you, I don't have a problem getting laid," Neji said flatly, emphasizing 'lifetime'. The jab didn't shake Lee from his whimsical attitude, but the martial artist struck back despite his reveries.

"If you didn't have a problem, you would have had a girlfriend by now!" Lee chided. Neji stared at him with well-subdued rage, then spun on one heel and walked off.

"I'm going to train. We still have missions, you know," Neji yelled as he walked out of the crowd. Lee didn't hear him.

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Sakura and Ino, despite the apparent fury in the eyes as they yelled, weren't arguing about anything important. Instead, they bickered over who would marry first. Their discussion had started after the speech had ended, but characteristically of both girls, someone made a pithy comment, and the other responded. Before they knew it, both were yelling at each other.

"Your forehead is too big for someone to marry you! They'll think you're pregnant up there!" Ino shouted viciously, proud at her clever comment. Sakura didn't appear shocked, as Ino had expected, but instead laughed mockingly and fired back.

"Oh, you'll marry first, alright, but after a week, you'll end up dead because your husband thought you were pork!" Sakura shouted with as much exuberance as her best friend. Ino, however, could say nothing any harsher than Sakura's previous statement, and resulted instead to personal attacks.

"You're such a female dog!" she yelled, in slightly more obtrusive words that would, if printed, have eroded the mildness of this narrative, a mildness that has so far been preserved. The two bickered some more.

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Amid this group, there was a significant portion that weren't engaged in neither conversation nor dispute; instead, they were still stunned by what Tsunade's speech entailed. This isn't to say they were unconcerned: on the contrary, they were probably more concerned than their fellow, more exuberant shinobi.

Hinata presently stood under a tree, but had listened intently to Tsunade's every word. Her mind already was running wild with fantasies, and by instinct, she held her arms close to her, in front of her chest, and bit one of her nails lightly. A few years ago, this action would have drawn a curious, perhaps mildly pitiful response; who wouldn't feel sorry for a twelve year old girl, significantly smaller than her peers in every sense of the expression, who stared at a crowd as if wishing to be within it? The action was the same, perhaps, but the actor had changed significantly. Her hair had grown out and was tied in a spectacular braid that shone vibrantly in the summer sun. Taller, heavier, and more refined, her every action elicited indescribable grace that beckoned notice. On top of this, her face has grown more angular and distinguished, and her eyes shone brightly despite the faint Hyuuga pupils. An onlooker that witnessed her physical appearance change during these six years would liken it to the metamorphosis of a small, bothersome caterpillar into the most wondrous of butterflies. Unfortunately, she was the same Hinata inside, shy and unconfident. Though her adeptness at the shinobi arts had increased tremendously, she still saw herself as weak in the eyes of her peers, and perhaps this self-depreciation is what was stopping her from striding into the crowd, and through sheer impulse, satisfy her unsettled heart.

To be brief, she looked very sexy under that tree.

It was not surprising, therefore, that a young man with black hair and an average height and build (characteristics generic to Konohan men), walked up to her, intent of striking conversation. By this age, she was far from oblivious to advances for the rougher sex, but as usual, stammered and glanced around shyly.

"Who would have thought something like this was the cause of all the commotion?" he said, with a slight, inviting smile. He was not the suavest of men, granted, but neither was he repulsive; however, talking to Hinata was a feat for the patient.

"It's pretty strange, I guess…" She answered after a time, glancing away and answering with a tiny voice. The youth paid no mind to her reluctance, and continued.

"I suppose it can't be helped, what with the damage those Lightning bastards did to our village," he spoke evenly, though his voice hinted agitation when the subject turned to the Lightning village, "you know, they tried to hide near my house when we fought them back, but ran when I almost impaled one of them with a kitchen knife." He said with a slight smile. It was clear he wanted to impress her with his tales of heroism, and oblivious as he was that she was a chuunin, continued to describe his tumultuous battle with an inexperienced (and exhausted) Lightning genin. Hinata listened attentively, more out of courtesy than interest, and her silence hinted the young man to stop talking.

"I'm sorry, I'm rambling. Let me get to the point. I'm sure you love this village as much as I do, and I don't want to see it die. It's our duty to save it, and together, you and me, we can make a difference. I think," he whispered passionately, "we should start seeing each other."

Hinata was embarrassed, to say the least, and mouthed a few 'umms' while looking away completely. Her reaction could have been interpreted as shyness and not rejection, and the young man probably saw it as the former. He waited patiently for her response.

An arm slid across Hinata's shoulders, and pulled her to a furry, yet surprisingly warm, chest.

"Are you ready to go, baby?" Kiba whispered affectionately, pulling Hinata closer to him. She looked around with confusion, and nodded abruptly. Kiba turned to stare at the wide-eyed young man, and bared his canines threateningly.

"Who the hell are you?" Kiba demanded with raucous spite. The young man looked first at her, then at him, and back again a few times, stunned. Perhaps the thought of having such a strikingly beautiful girl snatched from under his fingers with so little warning disheveled him; whatever it was, he was speechless.

"Get lost!" Kiba roared threateningly. The young man turned to flee, but was met by a small white dog that glowered at him with the threatening intensity of the most rabid of pitbulls. He got the message quickly and ran in a panic.

Kiba let go of Hinata promptly and smile from ear to ear. His ruse had worked perfectly, and vibrantly content with himself, he petted Hinata's head and walked away coolly. Akamaru followed.

"Keep yourself out of trouble, I won't always be around to save you!" he yelled back exuberantly. She smiled warmly at him and waved.

"Thanks, Kiba!"

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And through all this, there was one soul who, though forgotten, was quickly agitated. There was anxiety in his eyes, but with it wanton determination and a burning fire. Like a rushing train, his gaze darted from one member of the crowd to the other, and not even the perspiration dripping from his already sweat-logged bandana could distract him. His hand migrated to his pocket, and out came his weapon of choice, ready to strike its intended target with unmitigated strength.

And so, Chouji, sweating profusely, stuffed the potato chip in his mouth with pig-like gluttony. Though most of the village was in a panic over the latest news, Chouji, ever the optimist, was in the greatest of moods. This latest turn of events meant that finding a wife would be easier than ever, and this was an especially important piece of information that would likely change the course of the fat kid's future.

The Akamichi clan had renounced arranged marriage not too long ago, and as a result, Chouji's mother and father declared that they would not find him a spouse, but only give their blessings and attend the ceremonies. For the average teenager, this was divine intervention; for Chouji, it was satanic withdrawal. Chouji, and most Akamichis, have always had trouble alluring women because of their small, stocky stature. Sure, Chouji was rash and a bit animalistic when he ate, but otherwise he was a charismatic and kind boy; unfortunately, no amount of charisma or kindness can offset the hundreds of pounds he carried around for the sake of his ninja discipline. The choice, therefore, was simple: lose weight, get girls, and abandon the shinobi life, or gain weight, continue the shinobi training, and die a virgin. Such was his indubitable fate, or so he thought. Thanks to this man shortage, Chouji became a valuable commodity, and life couldn't get much better.

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The village was extremely busy over the next few months. Rebuilding had begun extensively on the charred part of the village, with not just paid workers but volunteers sheding their sweat and blood of the sake of their village. It was a marvel of human communion, if not a bit communist, and overall, spirits were high. Talk of marriage (and to a significantly lesser extent, love) was all aflourish, for marriage was now not only a significant social and romantic endeavor, but an assurance of financial security as well. Though some of the pragmatism bordered on avarice, many of the poorer residents of the village used both the salary from reconstruction work and the stipend from each newborn child to substantially alleviate their financial strain. Most ignored that they would be bringing prostitution to a new height (one must question whether having kids for money is very far from having sex for money), but for the most part, the citizens adhered to the warnings given by the Hokage: to steer clear of frivolity and harlotry.

The man shortage had another positive impact. Young girls and their mothers, eager to quickly find husbands while the good ones were still around, invested heavily in dresses, makeup, and other such beauty products with the hope of attracting a young man with stunningly good looks, and so the consumer economy of the Village Hidden in the Leaf skyrocketed for a time.

But enough about these facts and figures. Our protagonists, each in their own strange ways, had love (and to a lesser extent, marriage) on their minds; the man shortage just gave them an excuse to express it. Let us not forget, however, that our protagonists bordered on eighteen at the oldest (Hyuuga Neji occupying this slot), and since very young, focused only on shinobi life and training. As a result, their skills with women, or more importantly, their skills with anything not related to seals or techniques, was subpar.

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This description could not describe Uzumaki Naruto anymore precisely. Staring at the ramen swirling in his bowl, Naruto bowed his head sadly at the Ichiruka Ramen Stop. It was sunset on a windy September afternoon, and though it wasn't cold, the frequent gusts combined with the disappearing sun gave the village a gloomy feeling that accentuated the falling thermostats.

"What's his problem?" the brown-haired woman, a long time employee of the small stand, asked the manager with concern. Naruto had eaten at their mini-restaurant since he was very young, and by now, she saw him more as a brother than a customer.

The manager shrugged as he chopped some garlic. He was as concerned as she was, but was far too busy to give a damn, let alone help, and with that continued to chop vegetables. The brown-haired employee looks at Naruto tenderly, but the shinobi didn't notice, too busy moping.

"What's the matter?" she asked softly. He hadn't noticed that she was addressing him, so didn't answer at first. It took him a second to register the question.

"Oh…it's nothing, I guess…" he answered with equal faintness. This wasn't the overly hyperactive Naruto she knew, so it was obvious his answer wasn't true.

"You can talk to me, you know," she added, prodding him on. Naruto sighed and stretched widely, yawning a bit near the end of his stretch. The sun had fallen a bit further behind the horizon.

"Well…there's this girl, right," he started, choosing his words carefully, another uncharacteristic thing to do, "and old lady Tsunade talked about the population, and well…" he said. The brown-haired employee waiting for more, but it was clear she wouldn't get any more out of him. She was pretty sure of what the rest of the story was, though.

"Have you talked to her recently?" she asked, with some cheer in her voice. Naruto sunk lower in her chair.

"I haven't seen her in a week…I hope she's not avoiding me," he muttered with sadness. It was a pitiful sight, witnessing Uzumaki Naruto staring into a bowl of slowly cooling ramen with lovesick eyes, and the employee couldn't take it anymore.

"Then go see her! Right now! Because you never know, you might wake up tomorrow, and she's gone, or even worse, engaged! Life's too short for you to squander it, Naruto!" She yelled, her speech growing more passionate with each word. The other customers turned to look at her curiously. Naruto looked up at last, his face wearing a slightly pained expression.

"But what if-" he started.

"GO! NOW!" she screamed, irritated. Naruto hopped from his seat and rushed off, if only to avoid that woman's wrath. After all, she worked with hot oil all day; who knew what she could do when enticed.

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Sakura's house wasn't far from there. He was still terribly nervous, but the brown-haired girl had spurred him to action. His feelings towards Sakura hadn't particularly changed over the years; he had always liked her tremendously, but for as long as he could remember, he could suppress his affection for her through immersion in shinobi concerns. Of course, her face always lingered in the depths of his subconscious, but he could ignore it so long as Orochimaru or Lightning spies were around to worry about. Ever since the end of the war, and since Tsunade's speech, a highly sensitive aspect of his personal life suddenly became the most important concern. Granted, Tsunade's speech invoked fantasies of him married to Sakura-chan with dozens of children, the couple living happily ever after, having warm, luscious boy-on-girl action daily (with Sakura being the boy when Naruto was loneliest at night); however, the seventeen-year old boy never gathered the courage to make any advances on her. More specifically, he had begun avoiding her like the plague out of shyness, bringing his fantasies even further out of reach.

He had reached her home unexpectedly. The house was a modest two story home; though not the largest of abodes, Sakura was an only child. As a result, there were often two rooms that were vacant. The outer façade was made of vibrant red brick that give the house an elegant frontal view, and the chimney softly billowed out smoke that was nearly invisible in the now dark night sky. It had become a chilly night, and the fireplace had been lit as a result. The door itself was made of polished mahogany with a brass doorknob, eyepiece, and doorbell. It was nothing special, but to Naruto, it was the door to paradise, and even at the moment of truth, he could not bring himself to cross this final threshold. He took a few slow, deliberate steps, his heart leaping with each footstep on the concrete sidewalk, and soon found himself standing before the door.

Naruto stared at the doorbell for close to ten minutes, unable to move. After a while, he raised his arm slowly to ring the bell. His finger stroked the cold metal. Shutting his eyes, he pushed.

Nothing stirred within the brick house.

"No one's home. Thank goodness, what would have happened if she was home, what would I-" he thought to himself. He was cut off by the front door opening slowly. Standing behind the door, in a silk nightgown, her face smiling vibrantly, was Haruno Sakura herself.

Naruto blinked a few times. Her gown left very little to the imagination (it was slightly too small for her, clinging to her curves fairly tightly), and Naruto was entranced by her sleepwear. Her hair wasn't tied, and so fell awkwardly on her bare shoulders, covered only by the straps of her nightgown; Sakura looked at him for some time while he stared vacantly in her direction, and shifted awkwardly to allay her embarrassment. Both of them stood quiet and avoided each other's gaze. The wind howled, and a cricket began whistling.

"Are you home alone?" Naruto blurted out abruptly. Sakura was shaken out of her reveries, and nodded with some surprise.

"Yea, my parents went to a conference in the Water Country, they won't be back for three days…" she muttered hastily. "Ummm…would you like to come in?" She asked quizzically. Naruto scratched the back of his neck slowly.

"Well, no, not really, see you later!" Naruto said hastily, turning around and thrusting his hands in his pockets. He spun on one heel and started walking away.

Sakura frowned. "Naruto!"

He stopped dead in his tracks and turned back cautiously, his expression still fairly vacant. He wasn't fully facing her, but instead stood, with his body half-turned, waiting for her to continue.

"You've been avoiding me…" she said softly with a pained voice. Naruto turned to look at her, and the two gazed at each other's eyes silently. The cricket kept chirping.

"We need to talk…" Naruto said at last.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Chapter 2, it's not the greatest, but I'm making this up as I go along, so it's a bit disorganized.


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